A Lullaby for a Stormy Night
by Ryosei Takashi Hime
Summary: 7 and the twins get caught in a sudden shower one night. A bit of a drabble. Post-movie. Listen to "A Lullaby for a Stormy Night" by Vienna Teng. It's what inspired this. Now, includes a Pre-Movie 2 and 7 drabble.
1. Gentle Shower

"Well, now I am grown  
And these days have shown  
Rain's a part of how life goes  
But it's dark and it's late  
So I'll hold you and wait  
'til your frightened eyes do close."

------ _A Lullaby for a Stormy Night_, Vienna Teng

A Lullaby for a Stormy Night

A crack of thunder filled the empty world with echoes as rain came pouring down upon the ruins of mankind. The storm may have seemed loud and riotous, but the rain itself was soft and quiet. It pattered gently against the stones of decimated buildings and the metal roofs of abandoned cars. Each decaying piece of the old world had its own ring, and the lively tinkering that filled the darkness was like music. Even the sudden claps of thunder created a serene feeling deep inside the chest of a young stitchpunk in love with the freedom of this fearless new world. But two pairs of nervous arms tightened around her white waist with each thunderous roar of the unknown. Lightning flashed across the scene, illuminating the darkness briefly, allowing them to gaze out at Mother Earth's growing wonder in awe. The sight of that life-giving water kissing this broken world they had inherited from the humans was wondrous. As she held the twins close to her side, watching the renewal of a world she had once thought lost, a warm feeling crawled into her chest. It made itself at home, bringing a soft light to her optics. 7 could feel no fuller of life than she did at that moment.

The twins, on the other hand, were grasping at her pale skin with frightened fingers and wildly flashing eyes. She smiled down at them in amusement. She had never seen them so unwilling to study something new. The first rain had been gentle, filled with the love of their fallen comrades, so they'd documented all they could about the wet and the wind and the clouds on that day. Now, it varied from week to week, and 7 found it utterly fascinating. She loved never knowing what weather the day would bring or when a sudden shower would catch her off guard. But the howling winds and lightning and thunder of the more violent of the storms had frightened her little wards. They had attempted to study it once, regardless, but each clap of thunder sent them scurrying back into whatever shelter they'd taken to that night. They had finally decided that the only fact they needed to store in their catalogue in association with these kinds of storms was rather simple: they were frightening. So, they clung to their protector, hoping the storm would pass and bring the morning light into their cold nook between the tire of an old car and a slab of broken wood.

7's arms were gentle but strong as they clung to her. They lent the twins comfort and confidence beyond all words. What could harm them when she was near? Her fingers curled around 4's hip and 3's chest, cheek resting against one head now and the other next. There were small, soft sounds now and then. They came from somewhere deep inside her, somewhere secret, somewhere forgotten. They meant nothing that she knew, but somehow they meant everything to 3 and 4. Slowly, fingers stopped clutching at her as frantically. The flashes of light from their optics grew fewer and far between. Little hooded heads began to droop as conversation died down. 4 gave a small sigh as she curled up against 7, fingers gripping the cloth skin of her right arm loosely, growing limp as she neared her sleep cycle. 3 kicked his feet as he tried to push himself closer as well, but it got him nowhere. His feet were only sticking in the muddy entrance of their shelter, and he seemed too tired to try anything else. She laughed softly and placed a hand under his rear end, pulling him up to her chest. He laid his head against it, smiling contentedly as his optics shuttered. Sleep was coming for them, but 7 could find none for herself.

She sat, long into the night, staring out at the rain as it fell around them. It isolated them from all of this world, from the new creatures being born every day, from the decaying bodies of humans who had died long ago, from 9 who remained in their permanent shelter at the Scientist's house in his search for truth. She shuttered her optics for a long while at the thought of 9, alone in that battered house. 7 didn't like that – being alone – but it never seemed to bother him. He became lost in his search as 7 and the twins scoured the new world in constant search of adventure and discovery. There was a distance growing between them, the distance of the present. He kept reaching back into the past while she only had eyes for the future. She _had_ to have her mind focused on the future, so she would know what the world had to offer them. She hadn't spent all those years as the only barrier between the twins and the dangers of this world for nothing. Her mind would always be on whatever helped her make life the best it could be for them.

7 returned her attention to the slumbering duo, unwilling to let her mind rest on 9 for too long. She placed her cheek against 4's head, staring down into 3's lax face lovingly. She remained that way for hours, the only movement her fingers brushing across their light skin affectionately. They were most important. They had always been the most important. She had relied on their dependency for so many years; she had no other way of motivating herself. She knew they thought of her as the strong one, but she would be weak without them. She would be weak alone. Her smile grew soft, almost sad, as 3 shifted in his sleep, fingers reached out for his sister's. As their fingers connected they made a ring around her with their arms, and 7 felt safe in that ring of love. She would be nothing without it. They didn't know this. They only knew she would always be there for them. And she would. Her arms tightened around them, drawing them all the closer. She would.

[*steadily wipes tears from eyes* You made me do this, A High Tech Burrito! *sobs* Gah, the images caused by the song "Lullaby for a Stormy Night" by Vienna Teng, which was suggested to me by the above party in this context, are just so sweet they make me cry. I couldn't not write this fic. I mean, I literally cried thinking about these three while listening to this song the first time. I'll admit it!! TT_TT Oh, the bitter sweetness. It didn't live up to the images produced by my brain, but ah well. What're ya gonna do? I got other stuff to work on.]


	2. Broken Reed

"For you know, once even I was a  
little child, and I was afraid  
but a gentle someone always came  
to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears  
and to give a kiss goodnight."

---- _Lullaby for a Stormy Night_, Vienna Teng

Lullaby for a Stormy Night 2

7 leaned back against the edge of the doorframe, staring out at the cloudy night with anxious, fearful optics. A loud booming sound rang across the calm of a post-battle city. She watched the clouds swirl and accumulate in the sky. She wasn't sure what the sound was, but she'd only heard one like it before: the sound of bombs and bullets and screaming and dying. War. She was on edge, ready at a moment's notice to dash off and fight for the safety of the others. She shivered inside, frightened. Not that she would ever let anyone see. No, she was the defender. Fear was not in her nature, right? She sighed shakily, placing a hand to her chest.

"It's just thunder," a soft voice whispered to her from the darkness. "There's no need to frightened."

She turned on him, optics filled with defiance. But it was 2. She felt she could be at ease around 2. He wasn't like 1 with his demanding, calculating gaze. How much were you worth to _him_? What could you do for _him_? How could _he_ use you? But with 2, it was always about you. How were _you_ feeling? What could he do for _you_? How could he make things better for _you_? She relaxed at the sight of his smile as he approached.

"Thunder?"

"Yes, it's fascinating, really," he continued, stopping at her side to stare up into the sky. "You've never seen a storm, have you?"

7 shook her head.

"Yes, they've grown rather rare. The pollution, I think," he mumbled. "It's nothing to worry about. You should be resting up for your shift."

"I'm alright."

2 gave her a knowing smile as she stared out at the sky. She was still worried. He could imagine the way her brain worked, running over the possibilities, her reactions, mock battles with enemies that did not even exist. She probably worried that if she let herself feel at ease with the sound of thunder she wouldn't recognize the sounds of war if they came. He placed a hand on her shoulder gently, sending a kind smile up at her. She smiled back a little, and he felt her stiff shoulders relax just a little. She gave in.

"Okay."

She walked over to a nearby book, propped up against the wall. The room they were inhabiting for the night was empty, broken, open to the elements. It must have been for a long time. There were no signs of life. She felt the wind rush in as she leaned against the book and slid to the floor, making herself comfortable. 2 groaned as he joined her. She smiled at him. She wondered where 1 was sleeping. He was somewhere in this darkness, alone. She wondered if he liked it that way. Another explosion of sound rang through the night, and she jerked her head to the door again. 2 laughed a little.

"Nothing bad will happen if you relax, my girl," he whispered.

"I can't," she responded without thinking. "It will."

2 looked away, smile fading slightly. So young and already so jaded. He didn't know what say. There were no words to comfort someone who had been thrown into war at birth. The younger ones hadn't had the benefit of peace that 1 and he experienced in the Scientist's home. It was birth and war. And just because 7 had been built to fight that didn't make it any easier. He placed his arm around her shoulders gently. It was all he could do for her. It was enough. Her shoulders relaxed completely this time, and her eyes left the door. She stared down at him with a look of gratitude, leaned against him, slid down into him, and let him hold her. She placed her head against his chest and sighed softly.

"Thank you, 2."

"Goodnight, Seven," he replied simply, shuttering his optics.

7 couldn't sleep right away, but it wasn't from the anxiety of war. She felt very comfortable for once in her life. In a way, she didn't want to miss it by sleeping. She placed a hand against 2's opposite shoulder and squeezed him lightly. He chuckled but didn't open his eyes. His fingers caressed her back gently as his head slowly fell to hers. It was very comfortable. She shuttered her eyes at last, the sound of rain hitting the tin roof of the shack not causing a single jerk in her usually tense body. She rubbed her cheek against the leather of his chest as she situated herself. She felt safe with 2. She felt safe in his arms. It was the first time she'd had someone defend _her_. And, though 2's embrace did not defend her from machines or bombs or humans, it did defend her from her own doubts and fears. That's was perfectly fine. 7 didn't need defense from physical enemies.

She let the rain become soothing, calming, and it put her to sleep. 2's head remained on hers, 7's arms held onto 2 like a life-preserver. And, somewhere in the darkness, 1's eyes watched them. Outside, the rain pelted the soldiers in the city, drenched their fox-holes, drove them into meager shelters. It was a miserable night for the humans, and a miserable night for 8 who stood guard outside. It was most definitely a miserable night for 1 who glared his distaste across the room, but two stitchpunks slept peacefully in one another's arms.

[Bah, this one isn't as good as the other one, but it snuck up on me while I was listening to my MP3 player and staring at the wall because I have insomnia but didn't have my computer that day. That's right. This song came on again. Then I put it on repeat and got the image of 2 and 7 instead of 7 and the twins. So, here it be. Days later. Which means it isn't as good. The relationship between 2 and 7 is supposed to be father and daughter, of course, in coupling with the previous chapter. But whazzat? A little jealousy on 1's part? X3 Oh, my. But jealous of who? 2 or 7? I'll leave that up to you. ]


End file.
